


You've Bewitched Me

by Lizziebearmenke



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/M, Period Piece, Slow Burn, pride and prejudice au, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 22:47:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5644639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lizziebearmenke/pseuds/Lizziebearmenke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Olicity Pride and Prejudice AU. Currently this is a one shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You've Bewitched Me

Felicity needed air. 

She could still hear Mr. Diggle's words ringing in her ears. 

_"He saved a man from a most imprudent marriage."_

_"Who was the man?"_

_"His closest friend. Thomas Merlyn."_

An imprudent marriage.

As if Laurel could ever be considered imprudent. Laurel was the kindest, gentlest, and down right the most honest person Felicity had ever known. Surely Mr. Diggle had been mistaken, for Mr. Queen could never break up a marriage between two people as suited for each other as Laurel and Merlyn. But as the air cleared around Felicity she could see no other couple that Mr. Diggle could be referring to. Who could Mr. Queen have the most influence over if not Merlyn? And who left in such haste, with Mr. Queen in tow she must add, than Meryln? As much as she wished Mr. Diggle's words had nothing to do with her sister, deep down Felicity knew. She knew Mr. Queen caused her sister's heartbreak and she couldn't help her breath to deepen and her heart to quicken at the amount of pain he caused her family. Now she was here, Mr. Queen in reach, and she could do nothing. She was expected to act a certain way and making "Lord Full of Himself" eat dirt was not something her family could ever twist into a good thing. 

The fresh air was helping. She needed to see the landscape stretched out in front of her and the rain drizzling over the valleys to remember that Mr. Queen could not affect everything. She turned from the view and pressed herself against the cold stone. She needed to breathe. She needed to clear her mind before she said or did something unforgivable. She stood there for what felt like hours trying in vain to keep her mind from wondering to Mr. Queen and his meddling. 

"Ms. Felicity." The voice startled her. Not because of its sudden presence. If she was being honest she knew he had been watching her. It was the realization that she wanted him there that made her jump. He continued. 

"I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These months have been a torment. I came to Starling City for the single object of seeing you." Felicity stared back at him. He came here with the single object of seeing her? She never expected these words to come out of his mouth. Only one thing could possibly account for his words. He must have finally seen the error of his ways and was here to apologize for what he had done to Laurel and Merlyn. However, that was not the case. 

"I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank, the circumstance of all these things but I'm willing to put them all aside and ask you to end my agony."

She stared at him. This was not what she was expecting to hear. The words that came out of his mouth were unexpected, yet a small part of here was thrilled by his declaration. She pushed those thoughts deep down inside of her and responded. "I don't understand." 

"I love you. Most ardently. Please do me the honor of accepting my hand." The thoughts she had buried sprung up with new vigor. He had just declared his love for her. A feeling, if she was being honest, had flooded her mind since he took her hand as she bordered the carriage at Merlyn's estate. Her mind went back to that afternoon. To her whole time at Merlyn's and the feelings that were growing since. And he not only declared these feelings but had asked her to marry him. A small part of her heart swelled but a greater part of her couldn't Shake the conversation that had her running outside to begin with. A part of Felicity knew if it hadn't been for Mr. Diggle's words earlier she might have accepted. Even with everything Ms. al Ghul had told her, she still might have said yes. But now, with her new information and his arrogance to assume she didn't know what truly had happened, yes would never leave her lips. If anything it showed her how little Mr. Queen knew about her character. If he really expected her to accept his hand without considering everything he had done, he either saw her as naive or stupid. How could she accept someone who destroyed her sister's happiness and also destroyed Ms. al Ghul's happiness as well. Mr. Queen was nothing more than a prideful pretentious "gentleman" who found himself helping others until they could no longer help him. 

It was through these thoughts that Felicity found the strength to speak. She figured the less emotion she put into her answer the less emotion she would receive. She was wrong. "Sir, I appreciate the struggle you have been through and I'm very sorry to have caused you pain, believe me it was unconsciously done."

"Is this your reply?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you- are you laughing at me?" Oliver asked incredulously. 

"No."

"Are you rejecting me?" 

Felicity wanted to laugh. Did she seem so desperate to marry that she would forgive everything with his declaration? That he thought none of it would matter? "I'm sure that the feelings with which you have told me have hindered your regard will help you in overcoming it."

"Might I ask with so little endevarance and civility I might repulse-" Felicity cut him off. She heard the way he made it seem that he was her only option and she was rejecting him out of what he believed to be her better judgement.

"And I might as well inquire why with so evident as a design as insulting me you choose to tell me you like me against your better judgement. If I was uncivil than that is some excuse but I have other reasons. As you know I have."

"What reasons?" That was all she needed. Everything she had wanted to say to this man. Everything she was holding back since she heard Mr. Diggle's words flooded out of her. 

"Do you think anything might tempt me to accept the man who has ruined perhaps forever the happiness of her most beloved sister?" She paused waiting for answer, but none came. "Do you deny it Mr. Queen? That you separated a young couple who loved each other, exposing your friend to the center of the world for caprice and my sister to its derision for disappointed hopes. And involving them both in misery of the accustest kind."

"I do not deny it." His answer came as a reprieve. If he denied it he would be insulting her intelligence and deep down she knew this was something he wouldn't do. He answered her in the only way he could. So she responded in the only way she could. 

"How could you do it?"

"Because I believed your sister indifferently." She wanted an answer, but instead she was faced with what he believed to be the truth and now she had to fight back. How could Mr. Queen believe something so obviously untrue about Laurel?

"Indifferent?" Felicity questioned him. If this were the case she would have seen it herself. But all she saw was the light in her sister's eyes anyone so much mentioned Merlyn's name.

"I watched them most carefully and realized his attachment more deeper than hers." His attachment was deeper than hers? Was this man blind or just oblivious? Laurel never made it inherently clear her feelings for anyone, yet anyone who truly mattered should have know that she was falling for Merlyn. Felicity had to defend Laurel's nature. 

"That's because she's shy." She fired back. 

"Merlyn to is modest and determined she didn't feel strongly for him." Felicity's rage was growing. She could feel it building inside of her and she knew she would not be able to contain the thoughts from coming out of her mouth. It was as if her brain would not allow him to think that tearing apart a happy couple would or could be considered admirable. If you asked Felicity what she said to Mr. Queen next she wouldn't have been able to tell you. But she knew it was right. 

"Because you suggested it."

"I did it for his own good."

"My sister hardly shows her true feelings to me. I suppose that you suspect his fortune had something to do-"

"No. I wouldn't give your sister the dishonor. Though it was suggested-"

"What was?"

"It was made perfectly clear that an affectatious marriage would..." Felicity couldn't take these accusations. If Merlyn's fortune was not the case, Mr. Queen was making it perfectly clear that it was Laurel herself who was the problem, and Felicity knew her sister would never seek out an affectatious marriage. She had to get to the bottom of this. 

"Did my sister give that impression?"

"No. No. No. There was however happened to be the fact of your family-" 

"Our want of connection? Mr. Merlin didn't seem to mind"

"No it was more than that."

"How sir?" This was it. Not only was Felicity finally starting to understand why Mr. Queen would talk Merlyn into such ideas, but also why he was so against any sort of relationship that might have come between them. She listened on bated breath. 

"It was the lack of propriety shown by your mother, your younger sister, and even on occasion your father." There it was. If she were honest with herself she knew that was the reason from the beginning. Felicity knew her family was not what men like Merlyn and Mr. Queen found desirable. She had been very sure from the start of his declaration that her family was the reasoning behind everything. And although she knew it was the cause, it didn't hurt her any less to hear him say it. The real reasons of why it hurt she would examine later. She had gotten her answers about Laurel. Yet she couldn't help herself from asking about his other indiscretion. 

"And what about Ms. al Ghul." 

Mr. Queen stepped closer to her before speaking. "Ms. al Ghul?"

Felicity could feel the tension that had been growing in him throughout their conversation and now it felt as if the tension was about to implode. She needed answers. If she was going to get a clearer view on the type of person Mr. Queen was she needed to know why he treated Ms. Al Ghul the way he did. So she spoke. "What excuse can you give for your behavior against her?"

"You take an eager interest in that women's concerns?" Mr. Queen bite back. 

"She told me of her misfortunes." Felicity said matter of factly. 

"Oh yes her misfortunes have been very great indeed." The remark left his mouth dripping with sarcasm. Knowing what Ms. Al Ghul had told her, Felicity once again felt the rage building inside of her. How dare he treat her this way. 

"You ruined her chances and yet you treat her with sarcasm." Felicity could not fight back the remark. 

"So this is your opinion of me." Mr. Queen spoke. His words rang with a finality as if this was what he was waiting to hear from her all along. "Thank you for explaining so fully. Perhaps these offenses be overlooked if your pride hadn't been hurt." Felicity was baffled. Not only did he ruin three people's lives, one whom he considers his dearest friend, but now he was trying to put the blame on her. Even if she was hurt over his declaration it would not make his actions okay. She could take it no longer. 

"My pride?!" Felicity shouted. 

"My honesty in admitting scruples to our relationship. Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your circumstances." There it was. The prejudice that ran deep with in Mr. Queen. Everyone was inferior to him. Ms. al Ghul, Laurel, Merlyn, and herself. If Felicity had any doubt over whether Mr Queen was a good man, they were all dashed with this one statement. Felicity held nothing back. If he was going to make her feel inferior she was going to make him feel like the pile of dirt that he was. 

"And those are the words of a gentleman. From the first moment I met you, your arrogance and conceit, your selfish disdain for the feelings of others made me realize that you are the last man in the world I could be prevailed upon to marry." The words hung in the air. A part of Felicity regretted the last statement, but that part was far overshadowed by the anger that filled her. Mr. Queen loomed over her. She hadn't noticed that throughout their conversation he had gotten extremely close to her. But now that she realized it her breathing quickened. She could see him breathing just as quickly. The space between them was so small she could reach out and grab him. Her eyes quickly glanced down at his lips and when she looked back up into his eyes she saw they had darkened. They stood this way for a few more seconds, and before Felicity could do the unthinkable Mr. Queen backed away. His face, which mere seconds ago held everything, became masked behind a facade she knew he had perfected years ago. Everything he felt was now buried deep within in him and when he spoke she knew the mask was complete. 

"Forgive me madam for taking up so much of your time." At this he turned and walked away. All of his feelings gone, only a coldness that hung In the air was left behind. For a second Felicity couldn't breath. Had she really thought about kissing Mr. Oliver Queen. The pompous jerk who destroyed so many people's happiness. She knew when she had looked into his eyes she saw him debating over the same thing. However he was able to control his urges and walk away. And yet in that spilt second before he turned and walked away from her, Felicity knew he held the key to her happiness. At this realization she stumbled backwards and her breath came in short gasps. She was almost in tears, but not due to the conversation that had just passed or all the ugly truthes that came to life, but the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that the key to her true happiness had just walked out of her life.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Olicity fic and the first fic I've written in almost 7 years. Be kind but that being said critics/comments/kudos are always appreciated.


End file.
